The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-31

the contract to print and bind 5000 copies
for S5,00O-Martin Harris, before mention
ed, mortgaging his farm for that amouhuio
raise the funds for the work; and business
soon began in earnest. Joe, WIN ms
/ lieutenant, Rigdon, had board Shanoy
ere ted in remote field, when no hulilan
being was allowed to enter except these TWO
worthless, and from this primitive study al
the manuscript for the publication OF the
Gold Bible was brought to the printing
| office. AS the Office was in the thlrd STORY
of the same block, and directly over the
store where | was employed, was ailowed
to come up stairs and read from the proofs
as much as | chose: though i'll fact L never
! became very greatly interested III the worn
The publication was pushed with spirit,
but until it was completed not copy was
allowed to leave the Office, but every volume
was packed in an upper room, ana tine phe
they made struck me at the time ana mas
since been wildly in my mind as comparing
in size and shape with cord or WOOD, ana
I called it cord of Mormon Bibles. Not
long after the publication was completed
they began their preparations for removal,
and ere long the parties, with their converts,
packed up all their belongings ana leLt LOT
! Kirkland, Ohio This removal was not ''on
compulsion" from any complaints OF thelr
neighbors, like those they were subsequently
compelled to make from Kirkland ana
-NduNOO. DuJ all SetlIlSu W tIUCl inv ~
readily and with the utmost cheertulness,
though many abandoned homes OF great
comfort and comparative wealth. In the
exodus there were farmers VINO were Gus
toners of the firm where L was employed
that sold their farms to the amount OF
| about S45, 900, all of which was committed
to the care and tender mercy OF Joe Smlth,
and the votaries committed themselves TO
his care and guidance.
OF the doings of the fraternity after they
left Wayne county | have no knowledge
beyond published reports, to which others
have had equal access, but there Is one
circumstance which may have escaped
attention After they settled i'll Kirkland
they established bank. Those were called
wild cat" days, and the banks grew up like
mushrooms all over the West The moneyed
institution they started was The Kirkland
Safety Society Bank" but as il turned out,
all the safety was on the side or the
Mormons, for it was always taking In but
never paying out except In their promises
to pay, which they never redeemed. Ihey
had their bank notes engraved IN the
highest style of the art by Underwood,
Bald q Spencer of Philadelphia, who were
the leading engravers of that day, and i'll
various ways they made quite show OF
banking, and managed to get their bills
into circulation to a considerable extent
Some years afterward, when they were
| driven out of Nauvoo, quantity OF THESE
| bills came in the hands of the receiver or
their effects who resided at Quincy, ILL.,
and he gave me some $50 or $50 OF that
currency, in order, as he said, that might
never be out of money, gave most OF 1t
away to friends, but l have still a $40 note
dated Feb. 10, 1887, signed by IS. Rigdon,
| President" and u Smith, Jr., Cashier,
which retain in order to fulfill the lnten-
ton Of the gentleman who gave it to me.
This -. Jmith, Jr., Cashier" was the
original Joe, and Rgdon was his mentor at
Palmyra.
| This is in brief a history of the first
beginnings of what has grown into the
powerful hierarchy of the present day,
which seems to bid defiance to the Unitei
States Government. That such a man as
Joe Smith with his antecedents could
naugurate such movement seems almost
incredl bic, yet this is a true unvarnished
history OF the rise Of this remarkable sect.
If here is anything sanity in the Church
of the Latter Day Saints" as they now
assume to style themselves, they must be
an improvement on the original founder.